GEOGRAPHY
Full name: Republic of Madagascar (Repoblikan’I Madagasikara)
Area: 587,040 km2 (world’s fourth largest-island) as well as numerous smaller peripheral islands, the largest of which include Nosy Be and Nosy Boraha (Sainte-Marie Island)
Capital City: Antananarivo
Major cities: Antsirabe, Antsiranana (Diégo Suarez), Fianarantsoa, Toliara (Tuléar), Taolagnaro (Fort Dauphin), Toamasina (Tamatave), Mahajanga (Majunga),
Main international airport: Ivato airport, Antananarivo (TNR)
Other main airports: Antsiranana (DIE), Mahajanga (MJN), Morondava (MOQ), Nosy be (NOS), Sambava (SVB), Toamasina (TMM), Taolagnaro (FTU), Toliara (TLE)
USEFUL INFORMATION
Official Languages: Malagasy, French, English
Time Zone: GMT+3
International Dialing Code: +261
Internet Domain: .mg
Currency : Ariary (Ar ; MGA)
Official days off: Jan, 1st; March, 29 th; Easter (movable); May, 1st; Ascension Day (movable); Whit Monday (movable); June, 26th; August, 15st; Nov,1st; December, 25th; December 31st
Visa: Required for all tourists, available at arrival; max 30 days
Weather (links)
SOCIAL INDICATOR
Population: 20,600,000 (2011 estimate)
Annual Population Growth Rate: 3%
Adult literacy rate: 82%
Life expectancy: 63 years
Religions: indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%
POLITICS AND ECONOMY
President: Hery RAJAONARIMAMPIANINA
Head of government: Jean RAVELONARIVO
GDP per capita, purchasing-power-parity: US$1,000
Primary Products: vanilla, seafood, livestock, rice, cassava, pepper, sugar cane, litchi, cocoa, coffee, cloves, timber, mangoes, corn (maize), potatoes, peanuts
Other Natural Resources: nickel, ilmenite, chromite, cobalt, sapphire, ruby, garnet, beryl, emerald, gold, zirconium, bauxite, niobium, labradorite, copper, lead, manganese, platinum, zinc, uranium, mica, tin, graphite
Main Exports: clothing and textile products, shrimp, petroleum products, vanilla, cloves, cacao, coffee, lychees, sisal, pepper, essential oils, medicinal herbs and plants, cinnamon, peanuts
Main Export Partners: France, USA, Germany, China, Italy, United Kingdom, Spain, Mauritius
Main Import partners:
China, Bahrain, France, South Africa, India, USA, Germany, Mauritius, Thailand
Main Industries : food processing, mining, oil refining, forestry, cement, breweries, tanneries, soap, paper, textiles, tourism, automobile assembly
Age of eligibility to vote: 18 years
National Flag:
